The Most Healthy State Of A Christian

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“I am poor and needy–come quickly to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer. O Lord, do not delay!” Psalm 70:5…

Each Sunday, I try to post a devotional thought for you to meditate on. Sometimes it will be something out of my own studies and prayers. Other times – like today – it will be from another source.

Today, I am posting a reminder about the importance of prayer and humility in the life of a Christian, by Charles Spurgeon, courtesy of Grace Gems:

Prayer

(Charles Spurgeon)

“I am poor and needy–come quickly to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer. O Lord, do not delay!” Psalm 70:5

The act of prayer teaches us our unworthiness–which is a very beneficial lesson for such proud beings as we are. If God gave us blessings without constraining us to pray for them–we would never know how poor we are. But a true prayer is . . .
an inventory of our needs,
a catalog of our necessities,
a revelation of our hidden poverty.

While prayer is an application to divine wealth–it is also a confession of human emptiness. The most healthy state of a Christian, is to be . . .
always empty in SELF and constantly depending upon the Lord for supplies;
always poor in SELF–and rich in Jesus;
as weak as water personally–but mighty through God to do great exploits.

And hence prayer, while it adores God, it lays the creature where it should be–in the very dust!

Prayer is in itself, apart from the answer which it brings, a great benefit to the Christian. As the runner gains strength for the race by daily exercise; so for the great race of life, we acquire energy by the hallowed labor of prayer. Prayer plumes the wings of God’s young eaglets–that they may learn to soar above the clouds!

Prayer sends God’s warriors forth to combat–with their sinews braced and their muscles firm. An earnest pleader comes out of his closet, even as the sun arises from the chambers of the east–rejoicing like a strong man to run his race.

Prayer is that uplifted hand of Moses–which routs the Amalekites more than the sword of Joshua. Prayer . . .
girds human weakness with divine strength,
turns human folly into heavenly wisdom, and
gives the peace of God to troubled mortals.

We have no idea what prayer can do!

We thank you, great God, for the mercy-seat–a choice proof of Your marvelous loving-kindness. Help us to use it aright throughout this day!

The Twenty Four Elders: Notice Their Humility – Devotion

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Each Sunday, I try to post a devotional thought for you to meditate on. Sometimes it will be something out of my own studies and prayers. Other times – like today – it will be from another source.

Today, I am posting about the humility of the twenty four Elders, and how it should serve as an example to us, by an Maria Sandberg, courtesy of Grace Gems:

The Twenty Four Elders: Notice Their Humility

Twenty Four Elders Humility

(Maria Sandberg, “Glimpses of Heaven!” 1880)

“The twenty four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying:
You are worthy, O Lord,
To receive glory and honor and power;
For You created all things,
And by Your will they exist and were created!”
Revelation 4:10-11

The Church triumphant is represented by the twenty four elders. Notice their humility. They fall down, and cast their crowns before the Throne, saying, “You are worthy!” They have been learning to do this on earth. When the Holy Spirit begins His work in the soul of man–when He begins to prepare a stone for the spiritual temple, He begins with a lesson of humility, and convinces of sin. And still, as that stone is more and more hewn and fitted for the temple above–deeper and deeper grow the convictions of his own unworthiness, until at length he is taught to abase himself utterly, and give all glory to the Lord.

Are you in this manner becoming every week more fitted for Heaven? Let this glimpse of Heaven lead you to ask, “Do I now abase myself–and exalt my God?” 

In this is the true Christian distinguished from the hypocrite. Whatever may be the failings of the Christian, he acts and speaks from a desire to glorify Him. Though self-esteem and self-exaltation are often mixed with his endeavors, still his aim is that God may be glorified, even though it be by his own abasement. The more he is enabled to glorify God–the greater is his humility. And the deeper his self-abasement–the more likely is he to bring honor and glory to his God.

O my soul, let this glimpse of glory forever set aside all notions of self-exaltation. Be now what you will be in Heaven–a humble creature of God, redeemed by the precious blood of the Lamb, living to glorify His name!